Two local high school football teams celebrated their homecoming games in style Friday night, while another team finally lost its first game of the season.

Waterloo hosted Civic Memorial for a “white out” themed homecoming game, running over the Eagles by the score of 49-20 to improve to 3-2 on the season.

The Bulldogs rumbled for 400 yards rushing as a team, led by senior running back Derez Sayles. He had touchdown runs of eight and 62 yards in the first quarter, then added a four-yard TD run in the second quarter. In all, Sayles rushed for 162 yards.

Owen Niebruegge’s 43-yard interception return for a TD turned the party level up a notch in the second quarter, and then senior quarterback Conrad Lindhorst put Waterloo up 35-13 with a 12-yard TD run late in the first half.

Lindhorst was crowned homecoming king at halftime.

Waterloo plays next Friday at Jerseyville.

In Dupo, the host Tigers ran their season record to 5-0 with a 46-27 homecoming game victory over Carlyle

Dupo – this week’s Republic-Times Team of the Week – led 26-20 at halftime, with one of the early highlights being a TD reception by Brrayden Esterlein. The Tigers increased that lead to 40-20 late in the third quarter with continued solid play by senior quarterback Deegan Prater.

A fourth quarter TD score by Brady Portell gave the Tigers their final points of the night.

Dupo looks to go to 6-0 next Friday when it travels to Red Bud.

Columbia finally fell from the ranks of the unbeaten Friday night at Freeburg, falling 23-14.

Following a scoreless first quarter, sophomore Jackson Lawal scored for the Eagles on a 34-yard run early in the second quarter. Aven Janik scored on the two-point conversion, putting Columbia up 8-0.

Freeburg answered with two TD runs by quarterback Joseph Carmack to take a 14-8 lead into halftime.

The only scoring of the third quarter came via a 42-yard field goal by Freeburg’s Dane Olmstead.

The Midgets added to their lead in the fourth quarter with a 29-yard TD pass from Cormack to James Thomas.

Columbia quarterback Xavier Voegele scored on a late TD run, but Freeburg improved to 4-1 on the season with the home victory.

Jase Nelson led Columbia’s offense with 122 yards rushing on the night.

Columbia hosts Wood River next Friday night.